Oregon · Vida, OR
McKenzie River float season
Gauge 14162500 on the Finn Rock through Vida to Leaburg. Glassy emerald water over lava-rock riffles — the home water of the McKenzie-style drift boat and the fly anglers who swear by it.
Right now at this gauge
loading CFS
Checking the live gauge…
Well above typical for this date
Live reading from the USGS gauge page for McKenzie River. Provisional data — subject to revision.
The year on this river
In a typical year at the Vida gauge, the McKenzie River runs fullest Dec–Feb and leanest Aug–Oct. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past January days at this gauge ran above 4,790 CFS; the September median is 2,140 CFS.
| Month | Typical flow (CFS) | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| January | 4,790 | |
| February | 4,060 | |
| March | 4,100 | |
| April | 4,535 | |
| May | 4,520 | |
| June | 3,225 | |
| July | 2,400 | |
| August | 2,200 | |
| September | 2,140 | |
| October | 2,350 | |
| November | 3,380 | |
| December | 4,470 |
Record context
This gauge has measured daily flow since 1925 — 101 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 50,000 CFS, in December 1956. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.
Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.
More Oregon float rivers
-
Clackamas River
Milo McIver Park to Barton and Carver
Fullest: Mar–May
-
Deschutes River
Riverbend Park through the Bend Whitewater Park to Drake Park
Fullest: Jun–Aug
-
Deschutes River
Warm Springs to Sherars Falls through Maupin
Fullest: Feb–Apr
-
Grande Ronde River
Minam to Troy
Fullest: Apr–Jun
-
John Day River
Service Creek to Clarno
Fullest: Mar–May
-
North Santiam River
Packsaddle Park through Mill City to Mehama
Fullest: Nov–Jan
Common questions
When is the McKenzie River usually at its fullest?
At the Vida gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Dec–Feb, with the single highest monthly median in January (about 4,790 CFS). The leanest months are usually Aug–Oct.
What is a typical summer flow on the McKenzie River?
The July median at this gauge is about 2,400 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Late summer is this river's lean season, so expect readings to drift down as the season goes on.
Is the McKenzie River safe to float right now?
No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 101 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.
Which USGS gauge does this page use?
USGS gauge 14162500 (MCKENZIE RIVER NEAR VIDA, OR), chosen because it best represents the Finn Rock through Vida to Leaburg. Daily records here reach back to 1925.
Data: USGS gauge 14162500, approved daily records 1925–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.